Fact Vs. Fiction: Does Anyone Actually Give a Shit?

The New York Times. CBS News. The New Repubic. All these reported news agencies have in recent years dismissed 'journalists' over fabricated news stories. One of the most recent cases involves Wired News and reporter Michelle Delio.

Of hundreds of articles filed by Delio, several dozen contained minor quotes from nobodies with whim she talked with, and now her career too might be in jeopardy.

But does it really matter?

Fox News in particular, but most of the cable news networks have blurred the line between opinion, fiction, and fact. Increasingly, people can't tell the difference. Blogs also, have added to this blurring of the lines. And of course there are outlets like The Daily Show that offer fake news coverage of real events, or the The Onion that offers real news coverage of fake events. So again, does it really matter?

People believe what they are told. If they are told they are reading the truth, then it is so. Even if Michelle Delio fabricated quotations, or fabricated people, it doesn't really matter. The stories were interesting. The content of the stories wasn't signicantly changed. And in the end, it didn't really matter one way or another.

Fake news is more fun to read, so 'journalists' should get off themselves. After all, it doesn't matter.